A Song for Sarah
by Mandy Kay Miller
Summary: While Jesse comes to terms with the sorrow of loosing Winnie, Miles finds out that there is such a thing as second love. Intense and emotional.
1. Jesse's Sorrow

A/N: I just saw the movie and I KNEW that I had to write a sequel, so here it is. I apologize for any book-inaccurateness, but I haven't had time to read the book yet. I'm going out of town for the weekend, but once I get back I'm getting the book from the library and plan to read it soon. Therefore, you won't have to put up with my un-specific, paranoid fic for long! This takes place right after the movie.

Staring at the tombstone in front of him, Jesse couldn't stop the tears that welled up in his eyes. He bit his lip and involuntarily began to sob. He didn't know how long he cried… time seemed to stop somehow while he was in Winnie's presence once again, but he later heard a footstep behind him and turned, to find a young-looking girl.

"Sorry," she said. "Um, who are you?"

"I… my name's Jesse," the boy replied, a bit surprised and worried and even embarrassed all at once.

"Did you know her?" She motioned toward the tombstone.

Jesse didn't know what to say. Yes, he was in love with her as a matter of fact, but he couldn't tell the girl that. Winnie had died three years ago, and Jesse was still "17." If he told her he was in love with Winnie she would think he was crazy. "I… well, no, not exactly. Are you… was she-"

"She's my great-grandmother. My name's Sarah."

Great-grandmother? _Wow,_ Jesse thought. _I've been gone a long time._ He wiped his eyes to hide the traces of tears, but they were still red. "Oh."

"This is private property, I'm sorry. I have to ask you to leave."

Jesse nodded. "I understand."

"Is that your motorcycle out front?" He nodded and Sarah smiled. "I've always wanted to ride one."

He would have invited her for a ride, but Jesse didn't feel like being with anyone at the moment. "Maybe I'll stop by again sometime," he replied, standing.

"I hope you do."

Silently, he said goodbye to Winnie. How he missed her so. It had been 88 years since he'd seen her, but he had praying all those years that she had listened to him and drank from the spring. Obviously, she had decided not to… for one reason or another.

Jesse walked out of the gates and got on his motorcycle, then drove off. He drove out into the country, where the Tucks had decided to live. His father had bought a house out there, afraid to live in the city. He said that in the city they would meet friends, possibly long-term friends, and in years they would notice that they never changed. That's also why it was quite impossible for them to get jobs, for if they were hired for a couple of years questions would begin arising. But the Tucks had always been good at living off the land. On the farm in the country they didn't need to pay for food, they simply grew their own. They needed to pay house insurance and electrical bills and other things, but that was no more than what Miles could win when he went into the casinos.

Jesse walked in the house and sat down on the couch, tears now coming back now that he had the time to cry. His mother called from the kitchen, "Jesse, could you take off your shoes?"

He wasn't in the mood to do anything but sulk, so he didn't respond. He sniffed and buried his head in his hands, silently praying for her to let him be.

"Jesse, did you hear me?" Mae entered the living room and saw her son crying, so she walked over to him, sat down beside him, and hugged him. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Why didn't she listen to me?" Jesse demanded, his voice sounding a bit more angry than he'd originally intended. "I told her to drink it. I told her I'd come back for her. She died thinking I was a liar. She died without me. She didn't trust me. She…"

"Shh." His mother gently began rocking much like a comforting mother does. "She loved you, and she knew you loved her, too. She just saw advantage in…"

"In death?"

She bit her lip, struggling to come up with an answer that would satisfy her son. "No, she only knew that this is as much of a gift as it is a curse. After Miles…"

"But this would be different. We wouldn't be separated like he was. We could have lived forever with each other."

Angus then stepped into view, and knew instantly what had happened at seeing his son crying. There had only been two possibilities: she drank the water or she did not. And it was obvious which one that was.

"Jesse," he said. "You should know something."

"She had no reason not to do it," he continued bitterly. "No reason."

"She had a reason. I told her not to."

Jesse looked up at his father, his eyes demanding further explanation. "You what?! How could you betray me like that? You knew I loved her!"

"You can't be afraid of death," he responded evenly. "I know that. She knew that. You have yet to find it out."

"Death does not matter!" Jesse snapped. "Not to us! And it wouldn't have mattered to her, either, if you wouldn't have told her it did!"

"I told her that we are cursed with immortality, not blessed with it."

"This is your fault!" he yelled, standing to face his father. "This is all your fault!" Then he raced outside.

He ran into the barn and sat down hard on a hay bale and continued crying. He cried for nearly an hour, then his tears dried up leaving marks going down his cheeks. He then started to remember the days he'd spent with her. He remembered swimming with her, and climbing his own "Eiffle tower." He remembered laying down with her head on his stomach, maybe one of their most romantic moments, and her telling him that she wanted it to last forever. Then, suddenly, his thoughts took a nasty turn. He then began to remember spilling out the secret to her, and then Miles coming and telling her all about his own family. He remembered the look of horror and sorrow on Winnie's face that cursed night. And he also remembered the last time he ever saw her, and the last words he'd ever said to her. _"Winnie Foster, I will love you until the day I die."_

Miles cleared his throat and Jesse looked up at his brother. "She's gone?" he asked.

Jesse nodded slowly. "Yes," he mumbled quietly.

Miles sat down next to Jesse. "I'm sorry. It's going to be really hard going on without her."

"I know."

Miles had never been a sensitive type, so he didn't know what else to say. "So… I hope you're all right."

"Me, too."

"But, if you ever wanna talk, remember that I've been there. I know how you feel, and I'd be glad to talk to you about it if you want."

"Mom and dad are lucky. They have each other forever. But the people we love, they die. They can't come with us into the future."

Miles nodded. "No, I guess not."

"I'm sorry. I never realized how hard it was on you."

"Don't worry about it."

"And… I wish there was something I could do. We have the entire future, but we can't do anything about the past. That's permanent, but the future isn't."

"Do you believe in fate, Jesse?"

He looked at his older brother in the eye. "What do you mean?"

"Did you ever think she was meant to die?"

Jesse stood. "No, she wasn't. Because if I had been there before it happened, I would have given it to her. I would have given up my own immortality to her if I could."

"Be careful what you wish for. You would pass this on to her? So you would make her suffer missing you? See, Jesse, her dying spares her the pain of loosing _you._ She would have wanted it this way."

Jesse blinked. This was an entirely new way of thinking. He never realized that he was sparing her pain. Miles had a point that it was better Jesse be the immortal one instead of Winnie, but if they were _both_ either one or the other, that would have been best.

"She still could have drank it," he insisted.

"You know what? You're right. She could have. But you need to deal with what _is,_ not what could have been."


	2. Meeting Beth

A/N: yay! I actually got reviews!! =) I want to thank anyone and everyone who reviewed, and also those of you who plan to review either again or for the first time. It really helps me to write knowing that there are people out there that like it, and knowing that I have someone (or someones) to write _for._ Anyway, I need to change Anna's name to Sarah, because I realized a major flaw in my potential plot outline (actually a good friend noticed it for me) so… so she's now Sarah. Remember that, or you will be confused!

Two days later Jesse rode back to Winnie's old house. He'd been so depressed lately, but at least he'd stopped crying. He had decided the day before that he wanted to go back and see Sarah (A/N: previously Anna), and hopefully talk to her about Winnie. When he got there he walked up to the house and ran the doorbell.

A young man that looked around 22 answered. "Yes?" he asked.

"I'm here to see Sarah," Jesse answered. "Is she around?"

The guy gave him a weird look. "She's at school. She gets back around three."

What time was it now? Jesse never kept track of it. For him time was almost non-existent.

"Do you know anything about Winnie Fost- uh, Jackson?" he asked. The name came out before Jesse had the time to think about it, but once he said "Jackson" he felt his heart sting. The simple fact that her name had changed – she'd gotten married – made him sad. She had moved on with life. If she would have listened to him she wouldn't have had to.

The guy showed his surprise. "Um, not really, but her daughter is here."

"Can I talk to her?"

He opened the door wider to let Jesse in. "Sure. Who should I say is visiting?"

"Jesse. Tuck."

"I'll go and get her." He left Jesse alone in the entryway to stare at the house.

Jesse had never been in Winnie's house, so he didn't recognize anything from the inside. He wondered how much they changed it and how much it stayed the same. He wondered how long they'd had this tile, and how long that piano had been sitting there. His thoughts were interrupted when he saw an elderly lady walking down the stairs slowly with a cane and the help of a lady by her side.

It was almost painful for him to see someone so old and helpless. How old was this woman, anyway? 80? More?

When she saw Jesse she smiled and stepped down to his level. "What a handsome young man," she commented, looking him up and down. "My name is Beth. Please, take off your shoes and follow me into the living room." He did as she said and they sat down on a couch in the larger room.

"Jesse Tuck," she said, smiling and looking pleased. "That is your name, is it?"

He nodded.

"Were you named after anyone, Jesse? For I have a brother, Jesse Tucker Jackson, and my mother said she named him after her first love."

He wanted to cry out for joy that he _was_ her first love, that he was the guy that stole this woman's mother's heart, and that he was also the one who she cared about enough to name her son after. Unfortunately, the woman would probably put him in an asylum if he claimed that, so he did what was natural. He lied.

"Yes, I was named after my great-grandfather," he replied.

"How splendid! I always wanted to meet the man, but I fear he's long gone. Well, then, I suppose you and I have a few distant ties, hmm? Not related by blood, but maybe related in mind."

_You have no idea,_ Jesse thought to himself. _You are supposed to be my daughter._ "Yeah, a few," was all he said to that.

"Oh, my mother really fell hard for him, it sounds. She said he was the sweetest, most romantic man in the world."

Jesse couldn't stop the small smile that escaped his lips. "What was she like, your mother?"

The woman thought for a bit. "She was an odd character to pin down, I think. She would be strict at times, and others she would be like a child again. She would run around in the woods, dance to no music, and swim in her dress. But one of her more strict policies… she always awoke at dawn, sometimes a bit sooner. Every single day. It was painful for her sometimes, I think, the days that we stayed up late and she would still wake up with the sun. There were days when she probably only got 2 or 3 hours of sleep, but that never stopped her."

Jesse remembered telling her to wake with the sun until he came back for her and his smile grew. It was clear that Winnie never forgot him. "Every day?" he asked.

She nodded. "Even on her own deathbed, she refused to go to sleep unless someone by her side promised to wake her up at the first sign of light outside."

Jesse found himself wondering if Winnie had ever been happy with her husband. Did she fall in love again, or had she simply gotten lonely and decided to marry the next person she saw?

He tried to phrase his question so he didn't have to ask "Did she love your father?" He finally decided how to ask.

"What did your dad think of my great-grandpa?"

"He wanted to meet the man, if you'll believe it. He thought that he sounded like a charming young man. I think mom's heart was split between the two. She certainly loved Jesse, but I know that she truly loved my father as well."

That was possibly the best answer Jesse could hope for. He wanted Winnie to love him, but he didn't want her to be unhappy with her husband.

"How did she die?"

The elderly woman drew in a deep breath. "Old age, I think. She just didn't feel well. The doctor said it could have been a bad case of the flu, and that combined with her weak body could have been too much to handle. But she-"

The door was heard opening and closing, then Sarah ran into view and rushed up to the woman and hugged her.

"Oh, grandma!" she said. "I'm so glad you made it!"

She laughed. "As am I. But Sarah, don't be rude. We have company."

Sarah turned and saw Jesse. "Oh… I'm sorry. I didn't notice you."

"Don't let me be a bother," he replied.

"No! I'm glad to see you again. Jesse, right?"

He nodded. "I was just on my way out." He stood.

"Will you be back tomorrow?"

Something inside of Jesse told him not to come back. He had a feeling like he should reply "no" to the question, but at the time he wasn't exactly sure why. The truth had two answers. Later, he realized that part of it was that he wanted to get away from Winnie and her family now that he knew that everything had turned out all right. The other part was that he was afraid to fall in love again.

"I… I don't know," he replied.

"Would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow night with your family?" Beth asked, honestly curious about the boy. "I'd be happy to meet them, and maybe talk with you a bit more."

Jesse hated to say no to the invitation, more specifically to this sweet woman and her lovely granddaughter, so maybe against his better judgement, he said, "OK. What time should we come over?"

"Why don't you come around 5:30, all right?"

He nodded. "Sure, thank you."

"Take care, Jesse."

"Bye," Sarah said. Then he left the house.

A/N: Please tell me what you think, even if you don't like this fic. Constructive criticism is just as valuable to me as a compliment, but please try to stay away from flames. Thank you!


	3. The Dream

A/N: I apologize that this chapter may be a little shorter than the others, but the next one is longer and I didn't think I should combine them. Besides, the "interesting-ness" of this chap makes up for its lack of length!

"You did what?!" Miles demanded, looking at Jesse in outrage.

"I said yes," he replied in a small voice. They were at the Tuck's house, and Jesse had just told them all about his meeting with Beth, and the invitation extended to him afterwards. "I couldn't refuse. They're so nice, and it would have been rude."

"We don't know how much Winnie told them," Miles stated. "If she told them our names, then what? We're _all_ named after our great-grandparents? Something tells me that won't work."

"We don't have to use our real names," Jesse replied. "Well, you guys don't. And we have to go. I don't want to go back and tell them no." He looked at his father hopefully.

Angus nodded. "We can't back out now that he told them yes," he decided.

"I'm not going," Miles said firmly. "We'll probably talk about her the entire time, anyway."

"You need to come," Mae answered. "We wouldn't want to go without you. Or, at least, I wouldn't."

"Then dad and Jesse can go together."

"I'm not sure I want to go either, Miles," Angus said. "But we are all going to go tomorrow anyway, and that's that."

Jesse showed a small smile in defeat, but said nothing else to Miles. Later, his older brother would be grateful he came.

~*~

__

Jesse sat at the spring, unmoving. He was thinking about Winnie again, and when he first met her. Where had her tombstone gone? It wasn't in front of him. But in reality, he didn't even really care. He knew it was missing, but it was irrelevant. All that mattered was him and Winnie, and now she was forever gone.

"Jesse," he heard a voice say behind him. It was a female voice, and somewhat familiar. Was it Sarah, maybe?

He turned and stopped breathing for a minute in shock, joy, and wonder. There Winnie stood, still fifteen.

Jesse leapt to his feet and ran up to her. There, he threw his arms around her and wept of joy.

"Winnie, Winnie, Winnie!" he cried. "I'm so glad to see you… here and unchanged. I love you and I've missed you so much!" After his rush of words he noticed that she was not holding him and he let go to look at her face. "Winnie," he said. "What's wrong."

Her eyes were wet and red. "I'm not here," she whispered softly, regretfully. "I want so much to be with you again, but I'm not here. I only came back like this to tell you not to worry about me and what happened after you left. And, also to ask you for your forgiveness."

"What did you do?" he asked. "I can't imagine something so great and terrible that I wouldn't forgive you for."

"I fell in love. I didn't want to, Jesse, but if our meeting was any indication, you should know that love does not come intentionally."

"I could never hold that against you," he answered, putting her hair behind her ear. "Not in my life. But… the only think I wonder is, why did you choose to die?"

Winnie looked helplessly at Jesse and bit her lip. Then, in a sad voice, told him, "I wasn't afraid."

Jesse sat up in his bed and looked sadly at the empty walls. It had all been a dream. His first thought was that none of it mattered, it was only his imagination running away while he slept, but then he remembered Winnie telling him "I'm not here" and he suddenly knew that this was her way of communicating with him. Through dreams. He knew then that she was still there watching him… in spirit, anyway. A single tear flowed down his cheek, but he refused to break down the dam that would unleash them all. No, instead he shed one tear for her, then went back to sleep.

A/N: Miles was in this chapter! OK, in all honesty, he's probably gonna turn out to be the main character, but I need to focus on Jesse at the moment because Miles is just kinda boring right now. But trust me, he'll have a more involved part probably starting next chapter, if not then soon after. I'm trying to update as much as I can, but I usually make up my stories as I go along and sometimes that makes it harder to write quickly. I promise I'll update as often as possible, hopefully every other day. Please review!


	4. Tuck Everlasting

A/N: I don't know how old Miles is (or should I say how old he _was_ when he drank the water) but in here he's "22." And I had a hard time thinking of names for the three of the remaining Tucks (excluding Jesse) so please, if you think the names don't correspond with how they look in the movie (i.e. "Miles doesn't look much like a Scott") then I apologize. I've never been good with names.

The Tucks could tell time by the sun and it's position… not the exact time of course, but they were able to tell when it was just before 5:30, and at that time they all got in the Buick and drove to the Jackson's house. They had previously discussed everything they thought they would need to have prepared… ages, names, and their past life. They even briefly discussed their "family line," a fake one of course. For they did _have_ a line, but it was most certainly not a normal one. Miles's new name was Scott, Angus's was Joe, and Mae was Sandra. Jesse was still Jesse, for he'd already introduced himself with that name. It took about 5 minutes to drive to the house, and when they arrived they rang the doorbell and the same guy that had answered it to Jesse the day before opened it.

"Are you the Tucks?" he asked.

Angus nodded. "Yes, we are."

He opened the door wider to let them in. "This way," he said as he led them into the dining room. There a large family sat politely, and they smiled at seeing their guests.

Sarah was the first to speak. "Hey, Jesse," she greeted with a warm smile. She'd spent forever on her appearance tonight, just for him. She had developed a crush on him during the short 5 minutes she'd spent with him, and she was excited to see him again.

Jesse smiled back at her, unaware of her feelings. "Hi."

Beth spoke next. "We're happy to have you here. This is my daughter Amanda, her husband James, my granddaughters Maria and Sarah and grandson David, and this is my sister Jenna."

_Sarah,_ Miles thought, noting her name. _And she looks just like her, too…_

Angus smiled politely. "My name is Joe, this is Sandra, Scott, and Jesse."

"Please have a seat," Amanda said. "We are all pleased to meet you. Your grandfather, Joe, sounds like an extraordinary man."

Angus glanced to Jesse but he didn't make it obvious. "Yes, he was. He was a very good man."

The 4 Tucks sat down, Miles by Sarah, then Mae, Angus, and Jesse who sat by Amanda.

"The food should be here in a minute," James told them. Just then a woman came through the door carrying a large plate, and on it sat a large turkey. "Ah, here it is," he said.

The woman set it down, and then the people behind her dressed the table with the colorful artwork of the delicious-looking, fresh foods. None of the Tucks had ever been confronted with such an amount of food, much less in such a variety. It was clear that success was in the Foster-Jackson bloodline.

Amanda glanced around the table, then cleared her throat. "We usually pray before meals, I apologize for any awkwardness you may feel. But if you would please be patient, I prefer to pray today as well."

Angus nodded. "Don't let our visit ruin things for you."

James smiled and nodded to his family, and they all bowed their heads. Maria said a short prayer to God, thanking him for the meal and for the Tucks to share it with, then finished with Amen, and they started passing around the food.

"So, Joe," James said in a conversational tone. "What do you do?"

"I'm a mechanical engineer," he replied. "Sandra is a kindergarten teacher nearby."

"Oh," Jenna said. "That sounds nice. Where do you teach?"

Inside Mae panicked, for they hadn't discussed details such as a school name. But she was a very fine actress, and no sign of panic showed on her face or in her tone as she responded, "A small private school about 10 miles away from our house."

"Jim likes working with his hands," Amanda told them. "A businessman only on the outside, I think he'd prefer fixing cars most of the time." The adults gave that polite laugh that they do when things aren't really funny, but they pretend they are. The teenagers exchanged looks that each said, "Why do they do that?" but said nothing else.

"And what do you do for a living, Amanda?" Mae asked.

"I'm an interior decorator."

"Ooh, that sounds like fun."

"It is sometimes, but like any job, it can get to be too much at times."

Mae nodded understandingly. "I know how that is. I love each of my students dearly, but when they get rambunctious…" The adults laughed again.

Miles passed the turkey to Sarah and she gave it to Jenna instantly, and he looked at her curiously. "Aren't you going to take some?" he asked.

"Oh- no, I don't eat meat."

"You don't?" he asked. By his tone you'd think he was simply surprised, but it was so much more than that. He was amazed, almost, that this girl had the same name, same looks, and was even a vegetarian exactly like his ex-wife.

Sarah nodded. "I guess I'm a health nut. Meat isn't good for you."

"What about protein? It's a great source of protein."

"I get my protein from other foods." They locked eyes for only a second, and then she glanced down. "I think you're the first person that's ever argued with me about my eating habits."

"I wasn't trying to argue."

"Oh, no! I wasn't saying you're difficult or anything, I just meant…"

Miles nodded. "It's OK. I know what you meant."

Sarah smiled at him. "Sorry."

"Don't be. How old are you, Sarah?"

"18."

_Incredible!_ he thought instantly. How could this be? All of these coincidences… Sarah, his wife, had been 18 when they met.

"Why?" she asked. "How old are you?"

"22." (A/N: he looks older than that, but I can't make their age gap too big.)

"Oh."

"Sarah enjoys it," Amanda's voice carried over into their section. "Don't you, dear?"

Sarah looked at her mother. "What?"

"Field hockey. I was just telling the Tucks about the club that you're in."

"Oh – yes, it's a lot of fun. This is my first time doing it, but I love it."

"I've never played field hockey," Jesse stated.

"Maybe she'll teach you," David said. "Do you play ice hockey?" Jesse shook his head. "Good. I'm a hockey player, and field hockey is the hardest thing if you're used to the other kind. There are so many things that become habits when you play, and then when you get into field hockey there are all these rules against those habits. You dribble the puck differently, and-" James cleared his throat.

"Son, you're talking their ears off," he said. David looked to the Tucks.

"Sorry," he said.

"No, no," Mae replied. "It's very interesting. Maybe Jesse should join a team. It'd be good for him."

Jesse gave her a cut-it-out look. If she gave the Jacksons any ideas, they may end up signing him up with some sort of a team. And Angus had made it clear that he didn't want many people knowing their names and faces when they first left Treegap more than 80 years ago, and the rules still held.

Mae ignored his look. "Would you like that? You could use the friends, I must say. All you do is watch TV."

"You can't keep a man from his television," Jenna said. "I've been trying for the past 50 years."

"Then maybe we should force him," Angus answered, looking thoughtfully at Jesse. "The more handicapped that thing makes you, the more important you quit using it."

Jesse's look intensified at his father. What in the world were his parents doing? Were they _trying_ to force him into an uncomfortable position?

"What do you say, son?"

Jesse hesitated, then forced a smile. "Sounds great," he lied. "But… I don't know how to skate."

"You don't need to know how," David said. "People will be ramming you into the boards half the time." Jesse gulped and he laughed. "What year are you?"

Jesse hesitated. He'd never been in high school before, because when he was 17 – for real – the children stopped going to school once they reached 13. But that didn't mean he didn't know what high school _was._ He did some quick math to figure out what year he would be in. "Junior," he answered, hoping it was right.

David nodded. "I'm a sophomore. What school do you go to?"

_Quit asking hard questions!_ Jesse wanted to scream at the boy. "Washington," he choked out, saying the first president's name that came to mind.

"What?"

"Washington High. It's pretty small, you probably haven't heard of it."

David blinked. "No, I haven't. But, hey, are you seriously interested? I can hook you up."

"Uh… I don't think so."

David shrugged. "All right. But if you change your mind, you know where we live."

Jesse nodded. "Thanks, I'll remember that."

They continued eating and chatting for a while. Things were going well, none of the Tucks were slipping up in what they did or said and everyone seemed to be having a genuinely good time. After everyone seemed done, James stood up. "Anyone up for dessert?"

Amanda looked at him. "We made a dessert?"

He smiled. "You bet. Colleen made it this afternoon before she left."

"She didn't have to."

"She knows that. She wanted to."

Amanda shook her head fondly as James went into the kitchen to bring out the surprise dessert. Then her face lit up suddenly. "Oh, mom! Did you bring your pictures back?"

Beth smiled. "Yes I did. Should I go and get them?"

"Would you? I think the Tucks would like to see them. They may see someone they know."

Angus looked at Amanda as Beth went upstairs. "Pictures? From what?"

"Mom and Aunt Jenna are only in town for a family reunion," Amanda explained. "They brought back some pictures for a family scrapbook that I'm putting together over the weekend, and I think you'll want to see them."

"I'll bet you got the job because you're the decorator?" Mae asked. Amanda laughed.

"That's not what I was told, but it's probably what my sister was thinking when she asked me to do it. But we have some pictures of Grandma Winnie, and… oh! I know something you'll really enjoy." She smiled like a young child getting excited for a fun game of hide-and-seek as she stood. "Please, follow me." Everyone got up except Jenna (for she was old and didn't feel like walking if she didn't have to) and Amanda led everyone upstairs and into a medium-large sized room with paintings all around it.

"This," Amanda beamed. "Is all of my grandmother's work. She was a secret artist at heart… she didn't start until… it must have been mid-twenties or so, but she did paint a picture of Jesse Tuck." She smiled at Jesse and for a moment he panicked, thinking she knew the secret. But he pretended like he didn't notice her smile.

Amanda walked over to a painting in the center of the left wall. It was certainly Jesse, sitting casually under a tree, with a spring of water behind him. Did she know what that tree was, what that spring was? None of the Tucks knew the answer to that question. But the most sensible part of each of them told them to stay silent until they knew for sure if she knew or not.

"He really does look a lot like you," Amanda said thoughtfully, looking from the picture to the boy. "But his nose is all wrong, and his facial structure is a bit different I suppose."

Jesse wanted to laugh, because the boy in the picture _was_ him, and here was a woman making statements about what was different between them. But he played along, and tried to get her to keep thinking that he didn't look like the painting. "He doesn't look like me," he stated.

Mae laughed. "It is rather strange, isn't it? Almost uncanny."

Amanda smiled. "Yes, well, we should go back downstairs. Jim has the dessert out, and mom is probably back with the pictures." She led them out, but Jesse couldn't stop himself from nearing the painting of him and checking the label. What did she call it?

Under the painting were two words in bold letters: **TUCK EVERLASTING**.


	5. Memory 1

A/N: First order of business: MidnightBlue88, thanks for the info. Also, I want to tell you that you are NOT ALONE in saying that your remember Wild America, as a matter of fact I love that movie (lol, "Don't ever tell me what to do with my little brother, DC. Marshall? Get in the hood." I love that line). And I'm one of those people that recognizes people and can't sleep until I figure out where I've seen them, and I KNEW Scott Bairstow looked familiar, but I couldn't figure out where I'd seen him, so thank you for also saving my grades from suffering due to lack of sleep!

Anyway, Back up 79 years from the last chapter and that's when this takes place. The year is 1923, Winnie is 24 years old, and 1 week away from her wedding day with Nathan Jackson. In my LotR fic (Arwen and Legolas) I put in little memories, and I think I'm gonna do that with this story, too, unless you guys don't like it. This chapter is what the memories would be like. Consider this a "test…"

__

Winnie finished her stroke on the painting and looked at it thoughtfully. He looked like that,_ she told herself. She was trying to remember the exact details of Jesse Tuck's features – his hair, more specifically – to get the artwork just right. She bit her lip and tilted her head, then added a few strokes here and there as finishing touches. Then she set her brush down and backed away from the painting so that she could see the entire thing clearly. She smiled a little, more than satisfied with her work._

Suddenly, she felt 2 strong arms around her waist. She yelped in surprise, then laughed when she turned to see Nathan. "Don't scare me like that," she told him sternly, yet playfully.

He smiled and kissed her gently. "How's your work coming along?"

"Beautifully. What do you think?" She nodded to the painting in front of them.

"I think it looks good. It has a very peaceful, natural setting."

"That's the large tree in the middle of our woods," Winnie told him. "And the boy is-"

"Let me guess. Jesse."

She smiled. "I'm sorry. Yes, he is."

Nathan shook his head. "If you love him, don't marry me."

"No!" Winnie said right away. Then she spoke powerfully and firmly next. "I love you. Or, well… I love both_ of you, anyway. But he is gone, so-"_

"So you are going to settle for me?"

Winnie put her arms around his neck and drew him closer to her, then kissed him on the lips. "Quit playing, you know that isn't what I mean."

He smiled a little. "Yes, I know."

"So don't worry me like you do."

"I just think that some day after we're married he's going to come and sweep you off your feet, and then you'll leave me and the children."

Winnie raised her eyebrows. "Children?"

"Yes, of course. Why, you don't want children?"

"It's a little early to be thinking about such things, don't you think? Now back to the subject, do you think it's done?" She looked back to the painting.

"It's perfect. I think it's fine the way it is."

"Good."

"Come, now, it's time for lunch."

Winnie began to leave the room following her fiancé, but when she stood under the doorframe she couldn't help but take one last glance at her painting of Jesse. It was very good, she thought. It looked exactly like she remembered him, and now that it was there, his image would never fade in her memory. If it did, she would always be able to look back at the painting. He was sitting casually under the tree, and he was smirking at her. She smiled back, then heard Nathan call her name. She rushed down the stairs to eat.

When she finished lunch, Winnie went back upstairs to her painting almost right away. Nathan followed her.

"What are you doing now?" he asked. "It's done."

"It needs a name," she insisted. "It's not done until it has a name."

"Name it Jesse."

Winnie rolled her eyes. "Is that your creative side speaking?"

Nathan laughed. "All right, then, fine. Give it a name. I'm going home."

They walked towards each other and shared a kiss goodbye, and after he left Winnie turned back to Jesse. She wondered what to name it for a bit, and during that time she simply stared at it, which was what she usually did until she thought of a creative name. Finally, a name popped into her head: **Tuck Everlasting.**

No one would fully understand the name except for her, of course, for she was the only person who knew of the spring. But that was part of the reason the name was so fitting. For all artworks, the artist feels something that no one else can exactly feel, and sometimes the artist feels something that no one else understands. This was her way of naming it something that no one would comprehend, to make it a true masterpiece. She put her signature in the courner and wrote the title on the back, planning to frame it someday. Now it was finally complete.

A/N: If you want me to write more of these memories please let me know, because I wanna know if it's worth posting or not. The people that read my other fic liked them, but I don't know if you guys'll feel the same way. So like or dislike, tell me!


	6. Father to Son

A/N: I used a couple quotes in here (but I tweaked them a bit) and at the end of the paragraph I used them in I put an asterisk *. The quotes I used are said by anonymous people, so I have no one to give the credit to.

And those of you who are quick and made sure my math is right as far as the years and Winnie's age goes, you probably noticed something weird, so I'm going to clear that up now. In my story, Winnie was 15, not 10 when she met Jesse. I mostly did that because I hadn't read the book yet (But I got it yesterday and now I'm on chapter 4). Second, the year is 2002, so Winnie died 3 years ago. Just in case you were wondering… =)

On the car ride back to the Tuck's house from the Jackson's, Mae and Angus seemed happier than normal. They chatted away about how nice it had been to see real people aside from their family, how nice they were, and how exciting and difficult it was to answer their questions without breaking a sweat. Miles seemed a bit happier than normal since his wife and children died, and it was about time he smiled because Ma and Pa Tuck's oldest son had been sulking in the loss of them for over 100 years.

For Jesse, however, things weren't as bright for him. Being so near a normal family made him want one, too. One of his own, not his father's. But he knew he couldn't blame his immortality on anyone, for he was too sensible to blame it on his father who suggested they drink the water unknowingly. But maybe he could have a _more_ normal family – not completely normal, but still more – if Winnie had drank the water and they would at least live the same amount of time. But Jesse was mature, in any case – and rightfully so for living 192 years – and he knew that he couldn't blame all of his problems on someone else.

When they arrived home, Jesse went to his room right away. Mae looked at Angus sadly.

"Do you want me to talk to him?" he asked. She nodded.

"Tell him what he needs to hear, not what you want him to hear."

Angus knew what his wife meant by that. Angus was a very wise man, even before knowledge in years came about. He could convince almost anyone of anything using what appeared like logic, sometimes it really was and sometimes not. And he wanted Jesse to hear almost anything that would make him feel better, but he couldn't. He had to tell him what he needed to hear.

Angus walked up the stairs and opened the door to Jesse's room, not bothering to knock as he usually did.

"Son?" he asked gently. "Are you all right?"

"No," Jesse admitted. "I may never be."

Angus opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when Jesse continued. "I am going to live forever, but in the end of eternity I will have only lived a week, for that is how long she was here and when I was with her was the only time I was truly alive."

Angus paused, wondering what to say to that. He sat down on Jesse's bed next to him, then said, "When love happens, it is truly 1 soul living inside of 2 bodies. Hers is gone, but yours will remain forever. So will the love that you share. Love is meant to make us joyful, not bitter. Miles has fanned the flames of bitterness for so long and now he loves nothing, finds joy in nothing. Nothing is pleasant to him." *

"So I'm supposed to be glad she's gone?"

"You should be glad, but the reason is questionable. I'd say be glad not that she's gone, but that she was happy when she wasn't. And, also, be glad for the time you had with her. See, Jesse, some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to the understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." *

Jesse let his response sink in. Finally, with a trembling lip, he asked, "What exactly did you tell her?"

"I can't very well remember. It was 90 years ago, for goodness sake. But I do remember telling her that we are meant to die. By causing something unnatural to happen to our bodies is wrong, in more ways than one. Things are born, then they die. There's no pain or regret in that, it is only the cycle of life."

There was a bit of silence when the boy said, "I'm sorry for blaming you before. I shouldn't have said it was your fault. But I was angry, and… I suppose everyone says things they don't mean when they're angry."

Angus nodded. "Anger clouds the mind. But don't let it get to you, I've raised one boy already. I know perfectly well which things come out of your mouth that you mean and which things you don't. Just remember, there's nothing wrong with mourning, but there's also nothing wrong with moving on."

Angus smiled faintly at his son and stood. "Miles is a good man to talk to since he understands what you're going through, but don't take his advice, or you'll never be happy." With that, he left the room.

Jesse concentrated on the words just said to him. His father had told him so much in the past 5 minutes. His words rolled around inside Jesse's head.

~_"When love happens, it is truly 1 soul living inside of 2 bodies. Hers is gone, but yours will remain forever. So will the love that you share."_

~"Be glad not that she's gone, but that she was happy when she wasn't."

~"Love is meant to make us joyful, not bitter."

~"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to the understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same."

~"Things are born, then they die. There's no pain or regret in that, it is only the cycle of life."

~"There's nothing wrong with mourning, but there's also nothing wrong with moving on."

~"Miles has fanned the flames of bitterness for so long and now he loves nothing, finds joy in nothing. Nothing is pleasant to him… don't take his advice, or you'll never be happy."

A/N: Hope you liked it! Let me know in a review! =)


	7. Out of Bed

A/N: I finished the book yesterday and I realized that so much is wrong with my fic, but I really can't change it now so I guess you'll all have to bear with me. Pleeeeeease? =) Anyway, I know that there are people out there where things just bug them if the story isn't original (I can get like that sometimes) so I'm really sorry to all of those people. You can deal with it, or find a different story, but I'm too far in to change it all now. Sorry again!

"I think it'd be good for him," Mae told Angus 2 days later as she scrubbed the plate in the sink. "We can't hide forever in any case, and he'd enjoy something to do."

Angus shook his head. "Commitments in public make me nervous, you know that."

"Oh, it's not much of a commitment. He'll play hockey for a year, then we can move again. It isn't a big deal. Please, Angus, let him do this. I think he'd enjoy it."

"He doesn't want to."

"He doesn't want to because you _told_ him he doesn't want to." They were talking about Jesse going back to the Jackson's house to talk to David about signing up with a hockey team. But Angus stood by his long-time belief, that they could only be seen in public little by little.

"Even just a year would-"

"A year wouldn't hurt, and you know it. People don't change much in a year. And this isn't even year-round. A few months, maybe. Please?"

Angus looked into his wife's pleading eyes and sighed. "Fine, I'll talk to him."

_"I'll_ talk to him," Mae responded, setting the plate in the rack and folding up her apron. "Ever since you talked to him before he hasn't come out of his room. I don't even want to know what you said." She gave him a peck on the cheek and then went upstairs to Jesse's room where she knocked politely. There was no response, so she opened it slowly.

"Jesse?" she asked gently. She saw him laying on his stomach with his face buried in a pillow. It didn't look like a very comfortable position with his face straight down like that. "Honey? Are you all right?"

Jesse turned in his bed and looked up at her. "I might be. Give me time."

"Your father and I were talking downstairs in the kitchen," she began. "And we think – well, _I _think you should go back and talk to David Jackson about joining a hockey team."

"And Tuck agreed to that?"

"You'd be surprised at how a woman can change a man's mind," she replied with a smile.

Jesse turned around so that he was facing away from her. "I wish I could have changed _her_ mind."

Mae's smile disappeared in an instant and her voice changed to sympathy. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Then… what do you say about hockey? I can get the pry bar, you can take a shower, have a snack, and then go back to their house. Sound good?"

Jesse turned back around to see her. "Pry bar?"

"How else am I going to get you up?"

Jesse smiled a little, but anyone could tell he was still sad. "Well, I haven't showered in 2 days. And food sounds good."

"Great. I'll go make you a grilled cheese sandwich. You get ready, OK?" She patted him on his leg and left.

Jesse groaned and got up. He literally hadn't come out of his room in 2 days. He'd barely gotten out of his bed at all! He slept, mostly, but he also read a little and sometimes thought. He sighed and swept the floor with his eyes looking for his towel. He found it and went into the bathroom across from his room and got in the shower. He took a very hot, long one that lasted more than an hour. When he opened the bathroom door and walked into the hall steam surged into the hallway like water flowing into the river after a dam breaks down. He went back into his room and put some clean clothes on, then walked down to the kitchen and found his entire family – brother, mother, and father – talking. Mae was cleaning up around the room, and Miles sat across from Angus at the table talking about what sounded like some sort of business or politics from their tones.

"There he is," Mae said, welcoming him into the room with a warm smile. She nodded to the sandwich on a plate at an empty spot on the table. "It's cold," she told him. "Do you want me to heat it up in the microwave?"

Jesse shook his head and sat down. "I don't mind."

"Do you want something to drink?"

"No. Do I really have to do hockey?"

Mae and Angus exchanged glances. "No," Angus said, taking advantage of the question to get his way. Mae wouldn't argue with him in front of their sons. "You don't have to."

"Good."

"Oh, but Jesse, you'd like it," Mae insisted. "Really. Mothers know these things, you know. Never doubt a mother's instincts."

"I may like it, but not now."

Mae looked helplessly at her husband. "Angus… tell him something," she said desperately, hoping he'd use his infinite wisdom charm on his son. "Anything, just tell him something."

Angus sighed. "It wouldn't kill you," he finally stated, even though he was against the idea in the first place.

"Miles doesn't have to do anything, why should I?" Jesse returned. "Because he's in "college?" Is that why?"

"Miles is going to do something. He's getting a job."

Jesse looked at his brother. "You are?"

Miles slammed his fist down on the table, furious. "I help with the farm!" he said. "I don't need another job, I'm a farmer now."

"No, I'm the farmer," his father replied evenly. "You're the son who gets paid minimum wage."

"But you said-"

"We're moving again in a year anyway, so it doesn't matter what I said. Now get out of this house, and don't come back until you have a job." Angus looked to the younger of the two. "And you, don't come back until you're a part of a team. Any team, I don't care. If you'd prefer a different sport, go for it. Just do something."

Miles and Jesse looked at each other, then with a glare from their father they both stood and went out of the house. They'd have to go together, because the Tucks only had one car. Jesse realized that he picked a really bad day to get out of his bed.


	8. Shannon

Miles glared at the open road ahead of him. "I'll drop you off at Jackson's," he told Jesse. "And pick you up when I can."

Jesse looked just as mad as his older brother. They each had their reasons, though. Miles didn't see the point in a job, nor did Jesse see the point in a team. He'd much rather sulk in his room. "And what should I tell them?"

"How about the truth?!" Miles snapped. "That our parents want me to get a job, and you to do something productive."

"Well, don't have to get like that about it. I just figured, we haven't told them the truth yet, why start now?" Jesse's voice was every bit as angry as Miles's.

"Do you blame _me_ for that?" Miles demanded. "Was that a shot?"

Jesse shook his head. "I don't know who I blame."

"Do you wanna know who _I_ blame?" asked Miles. "I blame the world. And whatever force it is, higher or lower, that causes death."

Jesse looked away as he remembered his father's words: _"Miles is a good man to talk to since he understands what you're going through, but don't take his advice, or you'll never be happy."_

"People are meant to die," Jesse said quietly.

"BORN TO DIE?!" Miles exclaimed, his voice raised. "Then life is meaningless! All we reach for, strive for is dark and empty! That's why you're wrong!"

"Then what?" Jesse pressed.

Miles paused. In his mind he was thinking of things he'd never thought of before, asking himself a question he'd never known had existed. After thinking, he said, "Then there must be a higher power, a supernatural being who has a purpose _for_ us."

Jesse knew well that Miles wasn't a religious person, so he knew that the idea that he'd just stated was new to him. And because it was new, Jesse didn't press further for answers.

Miles dropped his brother off and then drove away, promising to be back as soon as he could. Then he drove into the city, where he looked for ideas for somewhere to start looking for work. He passed a Best Buy and saw a Help Wanted sign and figured that'd be a good place to start. He pulled into the parking lot, parked the truck, and then walked in. He went up to a worker and asked who he should speak to about a job. The guy led him to the back and walked up to the manager.

"This guy says he's here about a job," the worker told her. Then he left and the girl looked at Miles.

She stuck out her hand. "I'm Shannon."

Miles took it. "Miles."

"How old are you?"

"22."

"Do you lift weights?"

"No, but I am fairly strong. My dad has a farm, and-"

"Ah, a farm boy, are you? They're the best. You can work in the warehouse. You start now, if you want."

"Don't I need to fill out an application or something?"

The girl looked from side to side, then down. Then she took a few steps closer to Miles so that they were standing close together and said quietly, "Applications are for places that can afford to cut people. We need all the help we can get. Do you do drugs?"

"No."

"Do you smoke?"

"No."

"Drink?"

"Um… a little… sometimes."

She smiled. "Honest, too. But that's OK, because you're over 21. Do you have a criminal record?"

"No."

  
"Then that's all I need to know. Can you start working now?"

"Um… I have to pick up my brother."

"How old is he?"

"17."

"He want a job?"

Miles first thought was "no" since Jesse was doing hockey, but then an evil grin spread across his face. All his brother did was sit at home, and it wouldn't kill him to have a job. "Yeah, I think he does." And if Tuck got mad at him for setting Jesse up like this, he'd simply use the excuse "I thought we could use the extra money."

"Does he smoke, drink, do drugs, or have a record?"

"No."

"Good. You boys can come in tomorrow at 6 and I'll give you the details."

"6… at night?"

Shannon smiled. "Oh, no, farm boy. You're getting up before the sun tomorrow." She patted him on the shoulder and left.

Miles blinked. That was possibly the easiest job he'd ever gotten, and he was still surprised at how easy it had been. As he walked out to the truck he thought about how odd it seemed that she hired him right on the spot, and then asked him to start that instant. Shrugging it off, he started up the F-350 and drove back to the Jackson's where he waited in the vehicle for 10 minutes, then, frustrated, got out and walked up to the door. He rang the doorbell and a blond woman who looked like she was in her mid-twenties answered.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I'm Miles Tuck. Is Jesse here?"

"If you're talking about the guy I'm thinking about, then yes. Come on in." Miles stepped in and then the woman went upstairs. Seconds later, Sarah came down.

"Hi, Scott," she said. Miles didn't realize she was talking to him at first, but then he remembered that that was his fake name.

"Hi, Sarah," he replied.

"You here for Jesse?" He nodded. "He's talking with David in his room." There was a little bit of silence, until she walked closer to him and asked in a small voice, "Can I ask you a kind of weird question?"

"Uh… sure."

"Do you know what kind of girls Jesse likes? Because, I mean, I…" She blushed slightly and Miles nodded.

"Well, he kinda…" Miles thought. It was a harder question than it seemed. The only girl he'd ever liked that Miles knew of was Winnie. How could he describe her? "Exciting, I guess."

"Do you think he likes me?"

"I don't know. We aren't very close. I mean, we fight a lot and stuff. He doesn't tell me much."

"Oh."

Miles shifted his weight a little uncomfortably. He felt like an idiot. Here he was, standing in front of this girl that was a mirror copy of his ex-wife, thinking she was destiny, and here she likes his little brother.

"He just seems so… depressed around me," Sarah commented.

"Oh, it's not you. He just-" Miles had to stop himself from saying "He just found out his true love died." "He just broke up with his girlfriend," he finished.

"I see."Then she smiled a little. "Thanks for talking with me."

"Like I was gonna blow you off?"

Her smile grew. "You could have."

"I wouldn't, though."

Then the two heard two other people walking down the stairs. They both turned to find Jesse and David.

"It's all set," Jesse told Miles. "What about you? That was faster than I thought it would be."

Miles nodded. "Me, too. I'll tell you on our way home. Bye, Sarah. Bye, David."

They exchanged goodbyes and then Jesse and Miles got in the car. Miles smiled a little, remembering getting Jesse a job. He'd have to tell him before they went to sleep tonight, and the sooner, the better. He was just about to tell his little brother, when he realized that he'd be better off telling him in front of their parents. That way, he'd not only have witnesses in case Jesse tried to kill him (not that he could, since Miles was immortal anyway), but he'd also have 2 people on his side. He knew that his money excuse would work.

A/N: sorry for the delay in updating, I've been having a minor block, but I broke through it. All reviews welcome!


	9. Farm Work

A/N: Yay! I actually updated! =) Sorry I haven't been as good about that recently, I'll try to get my act together. Anyway, MidnightBlue88, in answer to your question, yes, Miles WILL end up with Sarah. Eventually. I already have a plan to bring them together, and I also have a scene in mind with a HUGE Jesse/Miles fight. It'll be good, I promise. Mwahahahaha… btw, your story rocks (Escape to Forever.)

~*~

Miles and Jesse entered the house. They took off their shoes (Mae had been picky about that recently) and hung up their jackets, then went into the living room where their parents sat on the couch.

"Well?" Angus asked, turning his attention away from the TV to them.

"I have to be at the rink at 3 tomorrow," Jesse reported. "3-5:30."

Mae smiled. "Good!" she said. "How about you, Miles?"

"Best Buy warehouse. I have to be there at 6 in the morning tomorrow."

Angus nodded. "Very good, boys. You've made me proud."

Jesse turned to leave but Miles grabbed his arm. "That's not all," he said. "You'll wanna hear this, Jess." Jesse turned back around.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Miles turned to their parents. "I got Jesse a job, too."

"You what?!" Jesse demanded. Miles ignored his younger brother and continued talking to Angus.

"We need the money, Tuck. Don't we? Isn't that why you wanted me to get a job in the first place?"

"This isn't fair," Jesse insisted. "I didn't pull anything like that on you."

"Jesse, quit being selfish," Miles scolded. "We need the money."

"That's not why you did that." Jesse turned to his father. He was able to see clearly through his brother's motives. "Tuck…" He was whining now. His tone wasn't whiney, but he was still whining. And his father knew that.

Angus looked at him sternly. "Jesse, wait a minute." He looked to his oldest. "Did you know he wouldn't want to work?"

Miles knew that his father would carefully examine each thing he said, so he was careful in choosing his words. "I wasn't exactly sure. I mean, I didn't think he'd be thrilled at first, but I thought – and still do – that once he starts he'll like it. And the manager said they're low on workers, so she needed as much help as possible."

Angus looked at Mae, then back to Miles. It was hard for everyone in the room to tell what he was thinking, because his expression remained neutral. "So you were just trying to please everyone, huh? Me, your brother, your boss…"

Miles nodded. "Yeah."

Angus allowed a smile to appear across his face. "I know you better than that, son."

"So I don't have to?" Jesse asked, hopefulness in his voice.

Angus leaned back and looked thoughtful. "No, I think you _do_ have to. And you will."

Jesse glared at Miles, but spoke to his father. "But why?"

"Because it'd be good for you. But don't worry, your brother won't go unpunished."

Miles had been thinking he'd won up until that point. The threat said, he winced and looked at Angus. "Like how?" he asked.

"Looks like you'll be juggling 2 jobs. Between this warehouse and doing all of the farm work for a month, you'd better be getting your sleep. But I appreciate it. Thank you." He said the last statement like Miles had _volunteered_ to do it. The punishment laid down, Angus then got up and walked off.

"_All_ the farm work?" Miles asked his mother. She gave him a helpless look.

"That's what he said," She replied. "This may be the 21st century, but our family rules are the same as they were in the 1800s. And that's that the man of the house has final say."

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I'll try to update again soon. Just in case you're wondering, the next chapter is a memory with Sarah, Miles's ex-wife.


	10. Memory 2

__

Miles put a strand of curly black hair behind his wife's ear as he whispered gently, "I love you, Sarah."

The woman in response wrapped her arms around her husband and kissed him. But the romance was shattered when they heard a yell.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

A little girl rushed up to the two, sopping wet with a large frown on her face. The couple looked at their daughter.

"What happened?" Sarah asked.

"Bo pushed me in the lake!" Anna pouted.

Miles called for his son and in no time, the boy appeared. "Did you push her into the lake?" Miles asked.

The boy paused. "Well, that depends on your definition of "push." See, I-"

"Bo…" Miles warned.

The boy hung his head. "Yeah. A little."

"A little?" Sarah asked. "You did or you didn't."

"But I was helping her!"

"Helping her do what?"

Bo paused to think. "Face her fears…?" he tried. Anna had been afraid of fish since she was born, and that was one reason she never learned how to swim. She was afraid the fish would come and bite her.

Miles shook his head. "Go in the house." Bo's expression begged his father to let him play, but he noted his stern face. Disappointed, Bo started to the small house next to Angus, Mae, and Jesse's. Just then, Jesse came out and when he saw Bo his face was lit up with a smile.

"Bo!" he cheered, picking up the boy. Bo laughed.

"Uncle Jesse!"

Sarah smiled a little at Miles. "What are you going to do?" she asked him. Bo was supposed to be in a punishment, and Jesse was playing with him. But Sarah and Miles had never denied either of their children the right to play with their uncle, because they loved him and Jesse dearly loved them. Sometimes Miles wondered if his brother loved them almost as much as he_ loved them. But Bo and Jesse alike had to understand that they couldn't be with each other at the moment._

Miles gave her hand an affectionate squeeze, then walked up to Jesse and his son. "Um, Jess, Bo is in trouble."

"Aw, let us play a bit," Jesse responded. He was like a child again, playing not with his nephew but his friend.

"He's grounded."

"Give us 5 minutes."

"Jesse, it's awful hard to raise a kid with you getting in the way."

Jesse's smile faded quickly and he set Bo down to look at Miles. "I'm in your way?" A small hint of hurt was in his voice.

"I don't mean it like that, I just mean that he's my son, and when he's being punished he's being punished. Without you."

Jesse looked at Bo apologetically. "We'll play later," he vowed. "I promise."

Bo looked up at his father who pointed to their house, and then he continued on his way.

"You can play with Anna," Miles said. Jesse looked at the girl and something caught his eye.

"Why is she wet? I thought she doesn't swim."

"Bo pushed her into the lake."

Jesse smiled a little. "Did he, now?"

"Did you tell him to?"

Jesse's expression was hard to read. "Of course not. I-"

"Jess. I know you."

Jesse was unable to contain his laughter anymore. Bo would often pull tricks on Anna, and usually they were thought up by Jesse. Miles was smart enough to know when his brother was involved and when he wasn't.

"She needs to learn how to swim sometime," Jesse said, a twinkle in his eye.

"You're grounded, young man," Miles told his brother, mock authority in his voice.

"Let me swim with her?" the younger of the two asked hopefully.

Miles looked over at his daughter. "She won't let you."

"Let me try…?"

"Fine. But don't let her drown. I'm waiting for the right time to tell Sarah, and after I do we can get them all to drink the water, and then we won't have to worry about it anymore. But if she dies before I get the chance, I swear I'll make you sorry."

Jesse nodded. "I know."


	11. Back Home

Jesse and Miles walked up to Best Buy, and found that it was locked. "Still closed," Miles stated. "Now what?"

"It didn't occur to you while you were talking with her that maybe they'd be closed at 6 in the morning?" Jesse asked.

Miles shot him an angry look. "Don't take that tone with me. You aren't helping."

"Neither were you, when you got me a job in the first place. I should be asleep right now."

Then someone appeared on the other side of the door. It was Shannon, who smiled at them and then opened the door. "So this is your brother?" she asked as they entered the store.

"Yeah. This is Jesse. Jess, Shannon."

They shook hands and then Shannon led them into the warehouse part of the building. "You'll be loading, mostly. And moving things around, what have you. You'll be interacting with the guests, so if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed I suggest you leave you attitude in the car before you get out, because I don't want to hear any complaints. Now…" She continued to tell them about what they'd be doing and what she expected of them, instructions, and some Dos and Don'ts. Time seemed to pass by quickly, because before they knew it, it was 7:30 and they opened. People started to come in, not guests so much as workers, and the boys began to get to work.

They left at 12, and Shannon told them to come back at 7:30 the day after tomorrow. They were going to work from 7:30-noon each day, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. 18 hours a week each, getting paid $8 an hour; they would make $576 a month each. Not bad.

They went home where Mae was making lunch. She greeted them with a smile. "Hello, boys! How was work?"

"Fine," Jesse mumbled. "When's lunch ready?"

"10 minutes."

Without another word, Jesse went up to his room. Mae looked at Miles for an explanation.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"He's still mad at me, I think."

"Well, I can't say I blame him. And by the way, you need to get outside and get some things done before we eat. You'd better hurry up."

"What are we having?"

"Ham and mashed potatoes."

"I was thinking about going back over to Jackson's sometime today, is that OK?"

"If your chores are done, I don't care."

"OK. I'll go get to work."

Miles left the house at that and went outside. As he rapidly worked, he thought about his talk with Jesse yesterday in the car. When he admitted to a supernatural being existing. It had to be the truth. Had to. Otherwise there was no purpose in life. Everything was a joke, a large poker game. Get the best cards you can and see what life hands you. No purpose, just hope. And it didn't really matter if you won or lost, because in the end, everyone dies. Everyone ends up the same way, so what was the point? The famous athletes like Randy Moss and the poor people in Mexico were all going to end up the same way. There was no point to life.

But then there had to be some kind of higher, more powerful being who created them. Maybe this being was evil and he created them as part of his sadistic game, or maybe this being was like a big Santa Clause, always loving and jolly, who loved each and every creation of his. But whether the truth was the first one or the last one, or fell somewhere in the middle, it didn't matter. The truth was, he was out there. Somewhere.

That was why he wanted to go back to Jackson's house. Miles remembered how they prayed before their meal, so they must believe in a higher being. He didn't know which one that was, whether they were Buddhist or Muslim or Christian, but he didn't entirely care. He only wanted some answers, no matter what religion they were from. He found himself thirsting for answers, more than anything. All he wanted was an explanation to life, a reason for why everyone was on earth in the first place.

His thoughts and wondering was interrupted by a call by his father for lunch, and he went inside to eat. Then he went back outside and finished his chores, and then near 4 he told his parents that he was going to Jackson's, then left. Maybe part of him didn't even want answers, all it wanted was an excuse to see Sarah again.

A/N: jsyn, the "Sarah" I just referred to was his ex-wife, the dead one. Whenever I say "Sarah" I'm talking about Sarah Jackson unless I tell you otherwise, or if I make that much clear in context. Anyway, if you aren't a religious person and are thinking "Geez, she's gonna convert Miles and then this is just gonna be some story written to convert me" you're wrong. I am a strong Christian, but I try to keep my stories neutral so that they apply to a more variety of people, so don't worry. While I dedicate this story to God, anyone can read it and relate to it. You're gonna have to trust me. =)


	12. Answers

Miles drove to the Jackson's house, realizing that he didn't have more than ½ of an hour if he hoped to get back home in time for Jesse to leave for hockey practice. When he ran the doorbell at their house, Sarah herself answered, who was exactly who he wanted to talk with.

"Sarah," he said.

"Hey, Scott," she greeted. "How're you?"

"I want to talk to you," he replied. "I need some answers. You're religious, aren't you?"

She nodded. "I'm a Christian."

"Can we talk?"

She nodded and stepped outside, closing the door behind her. They sat down on the bench swing on the porch and she asked, "What do you need?"

"What's the purpose of life?" Miles blurted. The rest of his words flowed out of his mouth before he had much say in it. "People aren't simply born to die, are they? Are we all pawns in some sadistic game, or are we made with a purpose and with love?"

Sarah took in a deep breath. "Wow, these are some pretty deep questions."

"I got in a fight with my brother, and it got me to thinking," Miles explained.

"Well, to start off, you need to know what I believe or you'll never understand my answers. I believe that God, in all His glory, is going to come back on Judgement Day when everyone still on the earth will be either taken to Heaven, or damned to Hell. But since He is a fair God, He's not going to Judge until every person on earth has had the chance to believe, until everyone has been encountered with a choice to accept Him or reject Him. So, I'd say that the purpose of life is to tell people about God, so that that day will come sooner."

"What about non-Christians? Do they have no purpose?"

Sarah hesitated. "I hate to lay this on you, but to answer plainly, I think I'd have to say no. Things have no meaning without God, I think."

"Why were we created, Sarah?" So far Miles felt as if he hadn't gotten anywhere. He had no purpose, now, unless he became a Christian, assuming their beliefs were correct. Maybe Jesse had been right. People were born to die.

"Because God is love, and love I believe is always expanding, always creating. God's love overflowed into motivating Him to create something that he could love further."

"Does God love non-Christians?"

Sarah smiled. "Of course He does. He loves everyone. He loves Mother Theresa and Osama bin Laden alike. He loves Hitler and me exactly the same way."

"How could He, though?"

"Do you love your brother?"

Miles blinked. "Yes."

"But you said you had a fight. How could you love him if you got in a fight?"

"I…" Miles wasn't sure how to answer that. "I don't know, I just do."

"Exactly. It's unconditional. That's how God feels with us. You don't love your brother for any specific reason, you just do. God just loves us. No matter what." She smiled again. "Even you, Scott Tuck. Even though you do not know the Lord, he still loves you more than you could imagine."

Miles felt something with her words that he couldn't explain, but he felt, somehow, like he knew she was speaking the truth. The words that flowed from her mouth could not be false. He didn't know how, he just knew. If anyone asked him to explain it he wouldn't be able to, because he didn't have a real reason other than that was what he felt. But most often, what we feel is more true than the logic that we would otherwise use to get us there.

"Thank you."

She nodded. "We should get together and talk more often."

"Maybe when I'm not struggling with the meaning of life," Miles said with a smirk.

Sarah laughed. "Maybe. Do you want to get together for lunch tomorrow?"

Miles first instinct was to say no. _She likes Jesse,_ he reminded himself. He was about to reject the offer when he caught her eyes. They were a beautiful shade of hazel, looking at him intently, hopefully. They were the window to her very soul, and they told him she was sincere. Before he knew it, the word came out of his mouth.

"Yes."


	13. Hockey

A/N: Once again, I want to thank my reviewers, specifically MidnightBlue88 and the reviewer right before her that told me I shouldn't put God into this story. I have to admit, I debated it for some time (hence the reason you guys haven't been getting updates as fast) but in the end I decided that I can't keep God out of my stories. I can't say "I'm a Christian, but not when I'm writing." And if you're a Christian then you'd understand that God has done so much for me/us, and I simply can't ignore that in whatever story I'm writing. And, of course, there's also the possibility that maybe there'll be someone who's looking for what Miles is looking for, and they'll read my story and become a Christian as well. This isn't just being posted as an example of my faith, but also, hopefully, as a way of witnessing.

Jesse entered the arena and looked around. He'd skated on an iced-over lake before, but never in a place like this. Nor had he ever tried to play hockey. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to do this, but he knew that he couldn't back out now. He spotted David and approached him.

"Hey," Jesse said. David turned and smiled at him.

"Hey. You have skates?"

Jesse nodded and held up the skates in his hands. "Yeah."

"Cool. Lace up and I'll introduce you to the team."

Jesse sat down and put on the skates, then they went out on the ice and approached the group of teenagers. Most of them were guys, but there were also quite a few girls there. Maybe 1/3 of the group were females, which was more than Jesse expected.

"Coach, this is Jesse Tuck," David said. The coach looked to the two boys.

"You have equipment, Jesse?" he asked. Jesse shook his head. "Ever played hockey?" He shook his head again and the coach looked at David. "OK, then. Take him to the locker room and get him suited up while we do warm ups." David nodded and did as he said. The two boys left and the coach looked at the remaining players. "Let's go!" Everyone then went to their places, the goalies by the goals and the rest of the team lined up for shooting.

Jesse and David came back out in about 5 minutes and the coach skated up to them while the team continued warm-ups. He nodded to David signaling him to get in line to shoot, and then turned to Jesse. "I'll go over rules with you at a later time," he said. "For now, hold the stick like this and don't let it go over your shoulders. Let's see you pass." He gave Jesse the stick he'd been holding and adjusted his hands so that they were correct, then told him to get in a line.

Jesse got in one and while he waited his turn, a girl behind him said something.

"You're holding it wrong."

Jesse turned. "Huh?"

"Right hand below left hand."

"Oh."

"What school do you go to?"

Jesse tried to remember what he'd told David. It was a president, he knew that much. "Washington," he guessed, trying to keep the unsureness out of his voice.

"Oh. Where's that?"

"It's… near my house."

"Oh."

Jesse turned back around and waited for the 2 people ahead of him to shoot at the goalie, then he passed Jesse the puck. Jesse stopped it without much problem, but receiving a pass wasn't difficult so he didn't impress anyone.

"Shoot it as hard as you can," the girl behind him coached. "The faster, the better. Snap your wrist."

Jesse tried his best to do as she said. He snapped his right wrist and let the puck fly above the ice. It was almost in, when the goalie dove for it and kept it out. But he'd been really close to scoring a goal, and it was on his first try.

"Hey, that was good!" the girl said. Jesse smiled as he skated to the back of the line. "Thanks," he said.

When he got there David patted him on the back. "Good job. My first shot, I didn't even get within 5 feet of the goalpost."

Jesse's smile grew. "Thanks," he said again.

"A few more practices and you'll be pretty good. I was a little worried about you being the worst on the team, but as of now we have people a million times worse than you. You got nothing to worry about."

"You have people worse than me?"

He nodded and turned so that they could see the other line of shooters, and pointed. "That guy, Denny, this is his first time on skates. Well, not right _now_ but, this season. No sense of balance. You get within a foot of that guy and he falls down."

Jesse laughed. "I'm not quite that bad."

"What I used to do? Make up balance with speed. Like a bike without training wheels. You feel like you start to loose your balance so you pedal faster. That's what I did until I learned to control it."

Jesse nodded. "When I couldn't control it, I just fell."

David laughed. "That works, too."

"Thanks for hooking me up."

"No problem."


	14. Fight

Miles put on his jacket and Jesse looked up from the newspaper he'd been reading. "Where are you going?" he asked. Miles looked at him.

"Oh… nowhere."

"Tell me."

"I'm going to pick up Sarah. We're going out."

Jesse put the newspaper down and stood. "Sarah? What… you're going on a date?"

Miles shrugged. "Maybe. What of it?"

Jesse laughed. "You're kidding, right? But, then… I guess you make a good couple."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, she's just using you to get over me, and you're using her to get over Sarah. So I guess you guys can lean on each other until you get your balance back."

Miles grabbed Jesse by the collar roughly. "Don't you dare say that again."

"She doesn't even know your real name! Really, what are you hoping to accomplish?"

Miles was burning with rage. How dare Jesse talk that way about them. How dare he say something about Sarah, the first Sarah… Sarah his wife. Jesse knew Miles was sensitive about her. How dare he say anything like that.

He couldn't stop the punch at Jesse's face. The blow knocked his little brother out of his other hand and stumbling back, but then Jesse ran at Miles and tried to tackle him to the floor. The boys were soon taking out their anger on the other person, throwing every punch they could at each other. When Mae came down she was shocked.

"Jesse! Miles! What is going on?!"

Miles shoved Jesse to the ground and looked over at his mother. "Jesse… he-"

"_What_ is going on?"

Angus rushed down the stairs and looked first at Mae, then Miles, then Jesse on the floor. "Answer your mother," he said in an angry voice.

"It's… it's Sarah."

The parents looked at Miles with growing interest and concern as Jesse stood. "It was my fault," Jesse mumbled. The attention turned to him. "I made him angry."

"What did you say?"

"I…" Taking the blame wasn't something that Jesse did often. But usually, there wasn't much blame to take. Jesse and Miles usually had fights that consisted of words, this was the first time in nearly 50 years that they'd actually had a physical fight.

Deciding he'd rather not say, Jesse went up the stairs into the bathroom to wash off the blood on his face.

"Miles?" Angus asked his older son.

Miles hesitated. "I have to go," he told them. "I'm picking up Sarah." Then he left without another word.


	15. Decision

            Sarah opened the door to Miles's truck and got in.  She greeted him with a smile and said, "Hey, Scott.  How are you?"

            Jesse's words came back to haunt him.  _"She doesn't even know your real name!"  He sighed and began to pull out of their driveway.  "Sarah, would you… would you call me Miles?"_

            She looked confused.  "Well, sure.  Why?"

            "Because, I-"  Miles didn't know what to say.  For some reason, it seemed like she needed to call him Miles.  Otherwise Jesse would somehow win.  And somehow, Miles and Sarah's relationship would never work.  "That's my real name," he said finally.

            "What?  But… I don't understand."

            This was it.  He either had to tell her about the water and his wife and Jesse and Winnie and everything else now, or never.  But the last time they had told someone was Winnie, and she ended up dying, and Jesse was in tears.  What would happen if Miles told Sarah, and the same thing happened?  Or what if she didn't believe him, or she told someone else?  "Sarah, can I trust you?"

            "You can tell me anything."

            He glanced over to her.  She looked concerned.  Besides that, she also looked exactly like the first Sarah.  Exactly.  They had the same hair, the same eyes, the same complexion… even the same expression now, when he was preparing himself to do something that could change everything.

            Miles stopped the truck, pulled out the keys, and got out.  "Scott?!" she asked.  Sarah took off her seatbelt and got out as well, following him back to her house.  "Scott, where are you going?"

            "Follow me."  He came to Winnie's grave and said, "Your grandmother, or great-grandmother, or whatever she was, _Winnie, her and Jesse were in love."_

            "The Jesse that your brother was named after…?" Sarah sated.

            "No, my brother Jesse.  He was never named after anyone.  Jesse _is_ Jesse."

            "I don't understand.  How-"

            Miles continued walking into the forest, with a very confused woman working to keep up with him.  "How do you know these woods?" she asked him.  She didn't even know her way around.

            "I used to live here with my parents and brother," Miles replied.  "A hundred years ago, we lived here.  And nothing has changed."

            "What do you mean?"

            Miles didn't bother to explain, because once she saw the water and he told her about that, it would all make sense.  She would understand soon enough.  For now, if he tried to explain she would only be more confused.

            "Sc- Miles, where are you taking me?"

            "You'll see."  Soon, they reached the tree, unchanged, just like Miles, Jesse, Mae, and Tuck.  And the water was still there.  Everything.

            "This water is cursed," he told her, pointing down at it.  "And so is anyone who drinks it.  It makes you live forever, so it's impossible to die, and Jesse, Mae, Tuck, and I…"

            Sarah's eyes widened as she looked into his own.  "Are you serious?"

            He nodded.  "Unfortunately.  Winnie – Jesse wanted her to drink it, but she didn't.  The same thing happened with me, only… I had a wife and two children, and I told her about it.  She thought that I had sold my soul to the devil and left me, and all three of them died.  And that's why the painting that Winnie made looks so much like Jesse, and that's why he was crying at her grave, and that's why you didn't know my real name."

            Sarah's eyes were cast down in respect.  "I'm sorry, Miles.  I really am."

            "Sarah…?"

            She looked up at him.  "What – would you have me do what Winnie did not?"

            Miles wanted to tell her yes.  He wanted to beg her right then to please just take a sip, and then stay with him and his parents forever… he wasn't sure if he even loved her yet, but female company in the house other than his mother would not be a bad thing, and if nothing else, they would learn to love each other and get married and have children.  And, maybe if she did, then it would be almost as if his wife did… Maybe the answer to her question was "no," but the answer to the question "Would you have me do what your wife did not?" would be "yes."  Miles didn't care about Winnie, he only wanted Sarah back.  _His Sarah._

            "I… I don't know.  I only needed to tell you."

            "You know, if I drank it, I would see Judgment Day?"

            "Is that something you want?"

            Sarah nodded.  "Ever since I was a child.  I always hoped that God would come back during my lifetime, so that I would be able to see him, and… and never die.  This is my dream."

            "Your dream, or your nightmare.  Let me warn you, Sarah, that it is not what many people would think it.  I think that you should wait before you make a decision."

            "You're right," she agreed.  "I suppose you can't go back, hmm?"

            "If there was a way, we would have done it by now."

            "So… I'll go back home, and you can go back to yours, and tomorrow you can come back.  And… I'll come with you or I won't.  All right?"

            Miles nodded.  "I couldn't tell you which one I prefer."

            "Would you like to show me my way home?  I think you know these woods better than I do."

            "Sure."

A/N: That Miles, he sure knows how to give a girl a date!  Lol, sorry it was so long since my last update, but I was having this big block.  As you can probably guess, there's only one chapter left, so cast your vote on if you think she should drink it or not!  I think I know what'll happen, but I'm easily swayed, so tell me what you think and it'll be put into consideration.  Thanks!


	16. The End

A/N: lol, I forgot to put a disclaimer in here.  I don't own Tuck Everlasting.  There it is.  And while I say that, I might as well admit that I don't own the song that's in here, either.  It's written, performed, and owned by Rachel Kurtz.  I tweaked the words a bit so that they applied better to Miles, but it's for the most part the same.  It's called "I Will Sing" and, in my story, is the song that he sings for Sarah (the dead Sarah.  Hence the title "A Song for Sarah").  Wow.  It's like I PLANNED this!  (while I'm doing disclaimers, I might as well admit that my English teacher is the originator of that quote.  Lol.)  I did this in my "final chapter of "A Life of Change" " style.  If you haven't read that, it don't matter.  The song is in bold, the memories are in italics, and the normal stuff is… well, normal.  Anyways, here's the story, finally:

**It still hurts my heart when I think of you sometimes.**

            Miles sat on his bed, wondering what his fate would be.  Would Sarah choose to drink the water?  And, if she did, would they get married and have children, or would she only live with them and be more like a sister than anything else?    If they did have children, would they be immortal because both of their parents were?  Would it matter?

            At noticing his headache, Miles laid down on his bed.  Then sudden realization hit him when he realized that his headache was driven by his sore heart.  He'd been carrying the burden of Sarah's death for so long, and now Sarah Jackson was toying with his mind, however unintentional.  He told himself that she would never be able to take the first Sarah's place, but was that true?  She was so much like her… same age, same characteristics, same hair and eyes…

            **You are gone, but I'm "living the good life," so they say.**

He received the "good end" of the stick, Miles realized.  Many people would, obviously, rather live than die, and Sarah had died while Miles would live forever.  But then why did he long to switch places with her?  Why did he so deeply want to die, and for Sarah to live forever?

            **The crowd is gathered around to watch your sad burial.**

**            The rain is falling down and we are soaked through with remorse.**

            A roar came from outside.  Miles stood from his bed and looked out of the window, where he realized that it was raining.  The weather fit his mood, he decided.  It rained on the day they buried Sarah, too.  The hole had been dug before that, but on the day that they placed her into the ground it had been raining.  Why was the weather like that?  Why did it always fit a person's mood?

            "Sarah's grave," he mumbled, thinking out loud.  "Maybe I should go to it, and pay her a visit.  I haven't been there in so long…"

            **So sing that song again for me, right here and now.**

            In an instant, Miles realized that he would never be able to love Sarah Jackson the way he'd loved _his_ Sarah.  He barely remembered how to love that way, much less believed that he could do it.  He could not love.  He could not play that song.

            **Trip your fingers over the strings.**

**            Play that tune and I will sing,**

**            I will sing, I will sing, I will sing, I will sing.**

_"Sarah Tuck," the young dark-haired beauty said through a joyous smile.  "It does have a nice ring, doesn't it?"_

            **Your love for me was like a firecracker.**

**            My love for you is like a burning ember.**

**            We said that we'd sing forever,**

**            But we can't remember the words or the lines that we wrote.**

**            We shed our love like a rain-drenched overcoat.**

            Sarah stared at the spring during the dark night.  It was near three in the morning, and she sat there contemplating what the future would hold for her.  The water would have been invisible to her eyes, except that the gleam of the moon was caught in the stream, and reflected back to her eyes.  She stirred it, as if tempting herself, but then pulled her hand back as if she had been burned, as she remembered Miles telling her that being immortal was much worse than it appeared.  Yet, what would happen?  What _could_ happen?

            **So sing that song again for me, right here and now.**

**            Trip your fingers over the strings.**

**            Play that tune and I will sing,**

**            I will sing, I will sing, I will sing, I will sing…**

A/N: Eh, I know.  This ending was rushed, vague, jumped around, stolen from the movie, and all-around was just bad.  Sorry.  I figure I can let the reader decide what Sarah did.  I planned on having her drink it so that at least ONE Tuck Everlasting fic could end happily, but then I got to thinking… maybe Sarah Jackson would just be a stand-in for the first one, and Miles would never really love her, y'know?  So then I was cornered and I didn't know what to do, so this was my solution.  Happy birthday, everyone gets what they wanted.


End file.
